A vehicle “consist” is a group of vehicles that are mechanically coupled to travel together along a route. For example, a train is a type of vehicle consist comprising a group of rail vehicles coupled together to travel along a track. Similarly, a locomotive consist is a group of two or more locomotives that are coupled together, as part of a larger train or otherwise. Trains may have one or more locomotive consists. Locomotives in a locomotive consist include a lead locomotive and one or more trail locomotives. A train may have a lead consist, and may also have one or more remote consists positioned further back in the train. Alternatively or additionally, some trains may have single locomotives positioned within the train and separated from other locomotives by one or more non-locomotive rail cars (e.g., cargo or passenger cars).
In a locomotive consist, each locomotive includes a connection at each end of the locomotive to couple the power and brake systems of the locomotive to adjacent locomotives such that they function together as a single unit. Each locomotive is connected to subsequent locomotives via a port and jumper cable that includes twenty seven pins on each end. This cable is commonly referred to in the industry as a multiple unit cable or “MU” cable. Two or more of the locomotives in a consist may each include an on-board controller or other electronics. In certain cases, it may be desirable to link the on-board electronics together as a computer network, such that electronics of the lead locomotive in the consist can communicate with electronics of the trail locomotives. This intra-consist network may allow for inherent redundancies in locomotive electronics to be used to improve reliability of locomotives by allowing lead locomotives to utilize electronic equipment contained in trail locomotives of the same consist. It may be easier and more cost effective to use remote electronics in a trail locomotive than providing redundant equipment on each locomotive.
Communications in a vehicle consist have been realized using a number of methods. A first involves wireless communications between the vehicles in the consist using radio equipment. A second method involves running dedicated network cables between the linked locomotives in a consist. A third method involves Ethernet over MU communications between the vehicles in the consist, utilizing an existing locomotive MU cable bus that interconnects the lead locomotive and the trail locomotives. The MU cable bus is an existing electrical bus that is used in the locomotive consist for transferring non-network control information between the lead locomotive and the trail locomotives. (MU “cable bus” refers to the MU cable jumper that actually interconnects adjacent locomotives and/or to the internal electrical system that connects the cable jumper to internal locomotive electronics and the MU ports on either end of a locomotive.)
Although systems exist for network communications in vehicle consists, existing systems may not provide reliable or efficient methods for establishing such communications. Accordingly, it may be desirable to have a vehicle consist communication system and/or method that differ in function from those systems that are currently available.